Fete g Pa |Copyright © 1997 by CONCORD PUBLICATIONS CO. 603-609 Castie Peak Road Kong Nam Industrial Building 10/F, B1, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior wiitten permission of Concord Publications Co. We welcome authors who can help ‘expand our range of books. If you would like to submit material, please feel free to contract us, We are always on the look-out for new, unpublished photos for this series. If you have photos or slides or information you feel may be useful to future volumes, please send them to us for possible future publication Full photo credits will be given upon publication. ISBN 962-361-623-6 printed in Hong Kong‘he history of the Celtic warrior spans 3,000 years —~ remarkably long military tradition. In comparison, the history of the Roman soldier 's barely one thousand and that of the Medieval knight is just 500 years. That a consistent collection of traits should survive so long and be identifiable even today is a wonder in itself. Take for example two descriptions of Celtic warriors. The first; ‘When they) took to their broadswords, what a havoc they made! They drove everything before them, and walls could not resist their fury’ The second: ‘They sing as they advance into battle, they yell and leap in the air, clashing their weapons against their shields. We have leamed that if you can bear up to their first onslaught that initial charge of blind passion then their limbs will grow weary ’ Both observations describe fearless warriors who embrace close combat, charging with blades in their hands, but the descriptions are separated by 2,000 years. The first refers 1 ‘Scottish Highlanders in Canada at the battle for Quebec in 1757; the second describes Celtic warriors Asia in 189 BC. This enduring reputation for ferocity and_ fearlessness is impressive, but surely one must wonder if not all warriors in a combat situation are full of courage and action? ‘The answer is, of course, yes, but based on chronicles spanning several centuries, the fact remains that the Celts took this one step further, thus guaranteeing for themselves a ranking position as mercenaries that would endure throughout the ancient world and. Jong afterwards. They seem 10 have been particularly keen on Introduction fighting, it being a central part of their culture, but to this they added an extra dimension that can only be termed ‘madness’ It is said that in their earliest incamation the Celts fought completely naked except for a chain that secured a sword around their waists. They were notorious for the atrocities they committed against both civilians and soldiers, and they had a penchant for collecting enemy heads. In marble sculptures commissioned by a Greek king in the 3rd century BC, Celtic warriors. are represented as being naked except for the ‘orc’ (a metal neck ‘orament) around their necks and preferring to kill themselves when comered rather than submit In later Celtic literature, the battle ‘madness’ of the Celtic warrior is described as a transformation from a man into a monster. In The Tain, the hero Cuchulainn is described thus at the beginning of a battle: “A spasm tore through him. It distorted him, made him a monstrous thing. Every bone and ‘organ shook like a tree ina storm His insides made a twist within skin, His shins filled with the bulging muscles of his. calves. Balls of sinew as big as a warriors fist pumped up his body. His head swelled and. throbbed. Veins dilated. Suddenly, he gulped one eye deep into his head so not even a wild crane could pull it out from his. skull. The skin of hi cheeks then peeled back from his Jaws to reveal the gristle and bone of his gullet. His jaws crashed together and foam oozed up out of his throat. His hair twisted and bristled like a red thombush.’ in this passage, the artist is coming to terms with the terrible anger that seizes a man in battle and transforms him into a_ raging animal. At the end of the battle sequence, the same hero parades before his people, but this time he is a handsome man who reassures them with his good looks that he is at peace again. I was this fury that the Greeks and Romans wished to hamess in battle, and it was this spirit, centuries later, that the Duke of Wellington expected from his Irish and Scots soldiers when they blasted one volley of musket fire and then set out with fixed bayonets in nothing less than an old Celtic charge. The Celts themselves were immensely proud of their fighting skills. This pride is reflected not only in the beautiful omamentation of their weapons and armor, but also in the biggest and the very smallest items. in their world. They were especially fine cavalrymen, a relic perhaps of their original homeland on the Eurasian steppe, and this horsemanship helped them achieve their early domination of westem and northem Europe. In Britain, on the hillsides of their domains in southern England, they carved giant white horses ‘out of the chalk soil so that none of the surviving aboriginal Inhabitants would be in doubt about who now ruled this land, Similarly, when the time came to ‘ast tiny coins 10 help them carry ‘ut their extensive trade, the Celts embellished them with images of chariots and horses, abstracted down to the simple elements of bulging legs and flying cloaks 10 represent the speed and dynamism of these martial people. In this book, the following marvelous paintings by Angus McBride continue this visual heritage of Celtic pride and ferocity and help to explain some of their immense history.Celts on shore of Lake Hallstatt, second half of 6th century BC 2 [istatt is c vilage near Salzburg in Austria, and the ancient [Cottic burial places discovered there in the 19th century have given their name to this earliest period of Celtic domination in Europe, which lasted from the 7th to early Sth centuries BC. The ome of the vilage, Ike many other European sites, such as Hate ‘and Hallein, indicates the presence of a salt mine and the Importance this played in prehistoric, trading. Salt was a great s0Urce of wealth to the prehistoric warlord and his community. It preserved food, made it taste better, and could be traded across Europe for other goods. The impressive preservative quaity of the mineral wos cleorly demonstiated when the body of a dead salt inet, after being excavated from an old collapsed tunnel, showed Iie race of decay. ‘The Celtic warriors of central Europe grew rich through the salt trade, ond their power and influence expanded from the Danube dong the Rhine into France ond southem Germany. Bronze, mage of easly combined tin and copper, was the dominant metal in the early part of this period, being superseded by the locally available ton that added to Cattic wealth, Farming was fully developed, but raiding was regularly carried oul. This brought In additional livestock, as well as slaves, which could be traded (along with satt and iron) to the sophisticated cultures of italy and Greece to the south, providing the Celts with wine and hustury {900s It was an era of expansion for the Celts, one in which theit ‘martial culture had ite serious opposition, and they soon came to dominate much of westem Europe, though thelr constant Intertibol feuding prevented them trom forming any kind of ‘organized empire, The wattiors In the painting reflect the affluence of Cettic ‘warlords and their followers during this period. Bronze and iron are ‘combined for both decoration and strengthening weapons. The figure on the left wears a crested, domed bronze helmet that is typical of the eats Caltic helmets found in central Europe, such { near Passau in Bavaria, and which are associated with the Umfield culture of about 1000 BC. This type of helmet changed Ite over subsequent centuries and influenced other cultures such {5 the Etruscans. He also wears a bronze breastplate decorated ‘with repousse studs, His bronze sword has the ‘sloping shoulders’ ‘crossguaid typical of ail Celtic swords in this early period. Early lossical writers describe the woolen clothes of the Colts as ‘checkered’ or ‘muit-colored’ and this has been interpreted as a (Plate 1) {orm of tartan. A fur ‘sporan’ further foreshadows Cottic cultures tocome. The central warlord figure wears a bronze band of armor ‘round his waist. Wide bait bells are often featured in Celtic myth, as are battle aprons. Certainly it's a development similar 10 the belt hangings worn by the Roman soldiers of the eatly imperial Ppetiod, but here itis very much a decorative abject that serves Iitie protective purpose. His sword has an iron blade that swells out towards the tip. Halstatt swords could be very big and long, suggesting they were mainly used a8 slashing weapons. largely from horseback or chariots. His bronze dagger bears ahi with two rounded horns, typical of ‘antennae’ decorations of the period. ‘The wattior on the right carries @ boar standard, a familar ‘emblem throughout the ancient Cettic period, and his iron helmet bears feather wings. Animal myths featured strongly in Celtic, legend and clearly some association with the powers of animals Infended here. Leading warriors were believed to transform trom theic human form into that of « monster that possessed animalistic Powers os 0 result of a battle rage. This belief was also found in later cultures such as that of the Vikings. There is ao a long tradition of feathers being woin by hunter warriors in eastem Europe, culminating in the Posh Winged Hussas of the 17th and 18th centuries. Tne wartior on the tight aso weors a padded tunic decorated with bronze studs, and a hexagonal shield rests against Fis legs. Long body shields ore thought to have been Inspired by ‘eatlyflalan examples.Celts on shore of Lake Neuchatel, first half of 5th century BC Tene means “he shallows’, and it wos in the shallow part of Lake Neuchatel In Switzerland that Celtic warriors made ‘offerings to the gods in the shape of swords and other weapons (Human skeletons have also been found, suggesting perhaps that the gods wanted human sacrifices as wel), Between 1906 and 1917, many of these objects were uncovered. giving the name of La Téne to the period of Cettic activity from the Sth to the Ist Centuries BC. The main difference between the Celts of this period ond those of the earlier Halstatt era is a change in their burial ites, Warlords were now buried in light two-wheeled chatiots rather than heavy fourwheeled wagons. The use of chariotsis somewhat of puzzie In Colic warfare. The terrain of central Europe & not sulted for chariot warfare as practiced in the ancient Middle Eas when lines of chatiots would be used to break masses of foot soldiers, with archers and light infantry using them as mobile platforms. Caesar describes them toking part in battle, but more {as demonstrations of miltary prowess in the prelude to contact, with chariot teams ds mounting fo fight. It also seems lkely that Chariots were used by leading warriors and warlords in a similar manner fo that of the heroic warrior of Homeric Greece, who ‘would use them for @ grand arrival on the battiefield but would ismount to fight orn the case of the Celts, mount their horses to fight. These chariots were then used at the end of the confi for tither a speedy pusult of a defeated enemy oF a rapid fight. Cuchulainn, ancient Irish hero of The Tain. used a chariot covered with spikes and barbs to burst upon his enemies like a thunderstorm. The Celtic wartiors in the painting are ormed with weapons similar to those found in Lake Neuchatel, including broad-bladed spe and long, iron slashing swords. Bronze body aimor and helmets are worn alongside large oval shields made of oak plonks reinforced with a central wooden spine and bronze or iron bosses, The remains of such shields have been found in the shallows of the lake the warriors gaze upon (perhaps they are considering what sacrifices to make prior fo a battle). While the bronze armor worn by early Celts Is thought to have been influenced by southern cuues such as the Mycenean Greeks, the Romans crectted the Coils with the Invention of mall armor. Iron rings were tied ‘Together fo form an intettocking tunic. with extra layers of mall secured actoss the shoulders to reinforce it and protect it from the (late 2) downward blows of swords. Examples of Cettic mail are very rare, ‘ond it's only through the Romans, who copied its use widely, that the Celtic origin for this breakthrough in armor can be sustained. ‘Armed with strong iron sword and spears, La Tene Celts swept ‘acr08s Europe. supplonting their own eatler cuttures and taking by storm almost every comer of the ancient Mediterranean word, Tey rode into Spain, italy. and Greece and even passed into Asa, where they established the Calc state of Galatia in present-day Turkey. Celts continued westward and also took control of France, Bitain. and lretand, devastating the aboriginal inhabitants with ‘heir superior military technology and use of horses. The stage was now set for their conflict with the only other miltary culture that matched them for ferocity and efficiency—the armies of Rome,forts were the centers of power of the great Celtic toes and, their warriors. Exiting in western Europe before the arrival of the Cells, they nevertheless made these awesome defensive postions very much thelr own. The building of hilforts accelerated ‘ond the fortiications became more complex. To simple ramparts of earth and wood were added facing walls of sheer stone, the rubble infling being braced with cross-timbers. On top of this were ploced timber palsades with walkways and platforms from which they Could fight. Also, towers were located at reguiar intervats. Sometimes, whether by accident or intentionally. the wood and rubble Interior of the ramparts would be set on fre. Ths resulted in {a kind of vitiication of the stone by which It fused into one solid moss, The biggest hilforts had several ramparts and palsades finging the community inside with.a complex entrance of gateways cut through the earth mounds. These were sometimes protected by additional flanking guard chambers, wooden bridges overhead, or outworks to prevent a direct attack on the gate. ih Britain, the most Impressive surviving Iron Age hilfort, which ‘snow called Maiden Castle, is located near Dorchester. A 47-acre site defended by three massive oval ramparts, ts history began 15,000 years ag0 0s o Neolthic camp. As the centuties passed, more and more earth was dug uP ond piled into ramparts. The hilfort reached its present giant state in the fist century BC when the Cettic tbe of the Durotiiges occupied It. A hundred years later, the Romons invaded Britain and the Second Auguston Legion under Vespasion assaulted it. A tremendous batt followed, and the remains of weapons and bumt timbers have been uncovered there. Many skeletons, which have also been Unearthed, reveal bones cut with swords ond, in one case, a backbone with an arrowhead inserted init The most famous Celtic hilfor, however. must be that of Alesia near Dijon in cental France. It was here in 52 8C that Coesor confronted Vercingetorix, the great Gallic warlord. Alesia was an impregnable hilfor! on a plateau above the countryside, sufounded on three sides by deep ravines with rivers running through them. Wooden palisades on top of earth mounds completed the defense. Caesor could see if would be impossioie to take this awesome fortress by assault Instead, he decided on a siege, but Vercingetorix could call upon other Celtic tribes to support him and lead counterattacks, crushing the Rornans (Plate 3) between two forces. Therefore, Caesar embarked on a massive bullding project of his own, erecting one ring of fortifications ‘eleven miles long aimed at Vercingetorix and another bigger ring Of fortifications to protect himself against any relief force. With this in place, Caesar settied into a siege. Though Celtic forces come to Vercingetorix’s cide. Caesor defeated them piece by piece Until eventually the Gallic warlord was forced to concede defeat, With this end, Caeser had effectively conquered Celtic France Thus, Celtic hilforts symbolzed the power of the Celts but ciso proved thelr eventual downfall, The senior warriors depicted in this painting weor typical arms ‘and armor of the La Tene period. The central chieftain wears o bronze cone helmet similar fo that found in Beru in Mame in France. It features an opening for a plume at the top and a sight eckguord ot the rear. His scabbard is attached by an ion chain like those found in Champagne in France. The chieftain on the far fight wears decorative brooches to secure his cloak. Typical of La Tene metalwork, they could be either cut-out metal, inlaid with ‘enomel, or glided, Aside from native-made decoration, the Celts ‘aso had access to Greek oF Latin objects, or some ftom even further afield lke those made by the steppe peoples. through their extensive trade networks. The Celts favored plumes and cress for thelr metal helmets, but they ako wore helmets mode of softer ‘materials, such os leather, which have not survived.Celts attack Etruscans, northern Italy, late 4th century BC ho Celts were ot the peak of thelr power in central Europe in the th century BC, and thelr warriors were hungry for conquests. One potential area that attracted theirinterest was the fich agricutural land beyond the Alps in northem italy that was ‘watered by the Po river, but this region was held by the Etruscan, The Ettuscans themselves were a martial race who had expanded ‘over much of Italy, attacking the Greek settlements in the south ‘and adopting many aspects of Greek warfare. Celtic penetration ‘of northem Italy had begun peaceably as trade grew between the two cultures, but by the early 4th century thelr interest had tumed into raicing, and then full-scale invasion. The Insubres grabbed tertory in Lombardy where the town of Melpum, near Milan, fel to them around 396 BC. The Boll drove futher into tal, giving their name to Bononia, now known as Bologna. The Etruscan seltlement of Marzabotto was sacked, and In its cemetery have been found ron swords typical of the La Tene: ppetiod. Feking held out until 350 8C when it foo fell fer a struggle between its Etruscan defenders and the Celtic raiders Commemorated on a tombstone, this batlio Is depicted os combat between Ettuscans on horseback dressed in Greek fashion against naked Celts on foot, who are armed with swords ‘and large oval shields. By the end of the century, Euscan power had been shattered in northem tly, and the region became known in Latin as Cisoipine Gaul. But the Celts had not finshed, The wartiors rode even further south to confrent the Romans, who were not yet @ major mittary power. At Alla, a Roman army was overwhelmed by the wild charge of @ band of Cetts. With their formations broken up, the Romans found themselves outclassed by the bigger. stronger Celts, whose long swords outreached thelr short stabbing blades. Following the collapse of the Roman force, the Celts advanced on Rome and sacked the city, The Celt leader, Brennus, demanded his weight in gold. It was an outrage the Romans would never forget or forgive. The Romans learned much trom the Celts and transformed their warfare as a result. They adopted Celtic mall armor, oval shields and Celtic helmet types, such as the peaked cools. They leamed to weaken the Celtic charge with « volley of javelins and then use their shields fo fake the full weight of the Ceti slashing swords, while they stabbed at their enemies’ gus, Eventualy, a hundred years later, the Romans turned the tables on the Cals ‘and invaded northern Htaly. In one confrontation, a Roman 10 (Piate 4) {general was challenged to single combat by the leader of the Insubtes. 0 traditional Cettic form of heroic warfare. The Roman general rode forward into the kiling zone between the two assembled armies. Virdomans, the north Italan Cettic leader, ‘bellowed that he Nad been born trom the waters of the Rhine and would make quick work of the Roman invader. He kicked his horse Info action and hurled his spear at the Roman who threw his Javelin as the Celt charged towards him. Both spears missed their targets. and the two warlords clashed with sword and shield, each side cheering their leader on, but the duel came to a sudden end. The Roman's sword slashed the Cett’s throat, and his bent, golden {orc fol!to the ground. By 226 BC, at the battle of Telamon, the last independent Cettic tie in northem Italy had been defeated, and the region becarne par of the emerging Roman Empvre. The Celtic warriors in the painting wear La Téne-style helmets ‘and shields. The leading warrior holds an iron sword with ‘anthropomorphic hit similar fo those found in France (the sword Pornmelis formed in the shape of a man’s head, his arms up in the {Gir and his legs spread to form the curved crossguard). The second warrior holds the head of a decapitated Etruscan. Headhunting was @ fundamental part of Celtic frophy gathering In war os they believed a man’s spit resided in his head. Celtic warriors would 90 05 for as removing the heads from thei sain leaders fo prevent them from being captured and mutilated by the enemy,